Brothers
by foreverandnow
Summary: Teddy hates James Sirius Potter. One-shot.


A/N: Just a short little one-shot that was running through my mind today. Quick and to the point! Hope you enjoy!

Teddy Lupin hates James Sirius Potter.

He doesn't care that the baby is a little bit cute. He doesn't care that Ginny looks beautiful and radiant cradling baby James in her arms. He doesn't care that the Weasley family beams with pride or that many adults cry or that his grandmother even seems quite pleased about this supposedly blessed occasion.

He _does _care that Harry is elated. He cares very much that Harry has never looked so happy, that Harry is giddy and excited and smiling deliriously at everyone he meets. He cares because Harry is supposed to be his, and now he never will be again.

The rest of the Weasleys are okay. Harry is an uncle already, and Teddy doesn't mind this so much. Those kids demand his attention, too, but he still knows that Harry likes him best. Victoire doesn't come over for sleepovers, after all, and Molly and Lucy don't have a room for their things at the Potters' house. They get attention on birthdays and other special days, but Teddy gets to come over just because. Harry tells him stories and reads him books and even takes him flying sometimes, just because Harry is his godfather and that's what godfathers do. And sometimes when Teddy is with Harry and Ginny, he pretends that they are his real mum and dad, not the strangers in the photograph Gran insists he keep by his bed. Those people seem all right, but it is Harry who takes him for ice cream in Diagon Alley and Ginny who mends cuts and scrapes when he gets a bit too excited flying with Harry. Gran tells him how much his mum and dad loved him, but it is Harry who hugs him, reminds him how special he is, and musses his hair fondly, and it is Ginny who gives him embarrassing kisses out in public and holds his hand when they go out for walks.

But now there is James. James, who is named for Harry's own dad. James, who already looks a little like Harry. James, who really is Harry's son, not just his make-believe son. There will be pictures at the Potters' house of James with his mum and dad on the day he was born, and they will start to replace the pictures taken with Teddy. Harry is so excited and telling everyone he sees about little James (and really, what is so exciting about a baby? All he did today was manage to be born, which doesn't seem like that much of an accomplishment, in Teddy's earnest opinion). Teddy can't help but think that Harry never talks about him like that, never goes around telling everyone about his godson.

Teddy has been Harry's favourite for years, but now it's all going to change. He isn't going to be invited over so much anymore. Harry is going to be too busy taking care of his own son. Ginny, who isn't even really his godmother, isn't going to want a little boy getting in her way when she has her _real_ baby to love. James is going to come first now, always, and Teddy is going to be forgotten. He just knows it. He's already been forgotten, left to sit in this stupid boring waiting room with only Angelina to keep him company. Angelina isn't a full member of the Weasley family yet, and so she volunteers to sit with Teddy because all the _really important_ people get to see James and Ginny and Harry right now. _He_ hasn't been invited to see the new baby, and _he_ hasn't even been spoken to since Molly Weasley brought him a cup of cocoa and then bustled off to be with the new baby again.

He's too big to cry. He knows it. Gran tells him it's all right to cry whenever he feels like it, and Ginny says he's brave even when he cries after skinning up his knees falling from his broom, but Harry doesn't cry. Teddy never sees Harry cry, and so he doesn't want to cry either. He's mad at himself for crying now, but he really hates baby James and he really wishes someone will tell him it's a mistake and they have to give him back. Angelina doesn't even notice that he's crying, and he thinks about running away, except he doesn't know where he is and he's sleepy and a little bit hungry. So he cries quietly until he falls asleep in his rather uncomfortable chair, and when he sleeps he dreams about his room at Harry's house filled with things for the new baby.

"Teddy," a voice whispers. "Teddy, wake up."

Teddy blinks wearily and looks up to the beaming green eyes of his godfather. He's still mad, but at least Harry is here and has remembered that he _has_ a godson after all. It's quiet at St. Mungo's now, and Teddy thinks it must be getting awfully late and Gran is going to be so mad that he's up past his bedtime. Then he notices that Gran is actually right next to him, and she doesn't look angry at all.

"Someone wants to see you, Teddy," Harry smiles at him. Then he takes his hand, and walks him down the hallway. Harry stops him right outside an open door and kneels down to be at eye-level with him. "Sorry I haven't seen you today," his godfather apologises. "Ginny and I wanted you to meet James when it could just be the four of us."

Teddy doesn't understand, but he nods anyway.

"Teddy," Ginny greets him warmly. He hasn't seen her since someone let him peek in the room earlier, but she looks very tired. The new baby is sleeping in her arms, and he's very very tiny with a little bit of dark hair on the top of his head. "Come meet James," Ginny encourages him. He shakes his head, not wanting anything to do with this stupid baby who is changing everything.

"Teddy," Harry addresses him. "Ginny and I want you to know that we think of you as his big brother. It's a big job, though, and we want to know if it's all right with you."

Teddy looks at the baby again and considers. "What do I have to do?" he asks uncertainly.

"Teach him things," Harry supplies.

"Like how to ride a broom," Ginny clarifies.

"And protect him," Harry adds.

"Stand up for him and make sure no one hurts him."

Teddy isn't at all sure about this arrangement. "Can I still come over?" he asks worriedly.

Harry laughs just a little at this, but Ginny silences him with a look. "Course you can, Teddy," his godfather answers him. "In fact, I think you'll have to come over more if you're going to be his brother."

"It's a very special job," Ginny says seriously. "We wouldn't ask just anyone."

"What do you think, Teddy?" Harry asks him.

Teddy looks one more time at the baby, and he decides that James maybe isn't so bad after all, if he's going to be Teddy's brother. He doesn't have any brothers, and he maybe he could sort of use one. "All right, I guess," he shrugs.

Ginny beams some more, and Harry sets Teddy carefully on the bed to look at James, and then Ginny kisses Teddy on the forehead and he feels rather loved again. When he starts getting sleepy, Harry picks him up to carry him back to Gran. Teddy is really tired, so he lets his head fall on Harry's shoulder. "Teddy," Harry whispers just before they make it back to the waiting room. "I know it's different, having James here. But I promise I'll always be there, every time you need me."

Teddy Lupin sort of likes James Sirius Potter. He is his brother, after all.


End file.
